Automatic starter and lighter for automobiles.



w. A. TURBAYNE/ AUTOMATIC STARTER AND LIGHTER FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 2. I912.

- 1,217,244. Patented Feb.27,1917.

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mafia a. 74Z775ay/z6 W. A. TURBAYNE. AUTOMATIC STARTER AND LIGHTER 50RAUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 2, I9l2.

Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

a SHEETSSHEET 2 W. A. TURBAYNE.

AUTOMATIC STARTER AND LIGHTER FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED 050. 2. I912.

,2]. 7,244; Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. TURBAYNE, 0F NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO U. S. LIGHT & HEAT CORPORATION, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW

YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

Application filed December 2, 1912. Serial No. 734,516.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it'known' that I,'W1LLIAM A. TUR- BAYNE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at vNiagara Falls, in the county .of Niagara and Stateof New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in AutomaticStarters and Lighters for Automobiles, of which the following is a full,clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an automatic starter and lighter forautomobiles.

More particularly the invention relates to an automobile starter inwhich energy may be stored in a rapidly rotating body and which may beutilized to crank the engine.

An object of the invention is to provide an automatic starter in whichan electric motor of comparatively small horsepower may be employed.

Another object is to provide a starter having improved means by whichthe torque of the starting means may be gradually and smoothly appliedto'the engine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a starter having improvedmeans by which the rapidly rotating element may be magnetically coupledto the engine in startmg.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means to regulatethe speed at which the starting motor may be driven as a generator bythe engine.

Another object of the invention is to pr0- vide an electric starterhaving the advantages enumerated above which is simple in constructionand which has a minimum num- 'ber of electric circuits.

drive the field member or as a generator driven by said field member.

clutch member 5, and keyed to the engine shaft 6 in any preferredmanner. The fly wheel rim carries a laminated ring 7, preferably of ironor steel. Bars 8, of copper or other suitable material, are-threadedthrough numerous holes near the inner surface of the ring and areinsulated from the ring as by insulation 9. The respective extremitiesof the bars 8. are connectedby conducting rings 10, preferably ofcopper.

Thevrotatable field member 2 is arranged within the ring 7 and is freelyrotatable on the engine shaft as by being mounted on ball bearings 11between the hub 12 of the member 2 and a sleeve 13 keyed to the engineshaft. The member 2 carries a field yoke or frame 14, preferably ofiron, provided with any suitable number of pole pieces 15 provided withpolar faces 16 and magnetic windings 17. The hub 12 carries an insulatedslip ring 18 and a sprocket wheel 19.

Brushes 20 of any preferred construction are carried by, but insulatedfrom, the engine casing E and bear on the slip ring 18.

The dynamo electric machine 3 comprises a shunt and series wound machineof small horse power carrying on its armature shaft a sprocket wheel 21connected to the sprocket wheel 19 by driving chain 22.

The electrical circuits are illustrated in Fig. 3. The dynamo electricmachine is-provided with an armature 23, shunt field 24 and series field25. A storage battery 26 and lamps, or other devices, 27 are arranged inparallel branches across the main supply leads 28-29. An automaticswitch of any preferred construction is provided with a closing shuntcoil 30 connected across the main leads and a holding series coil 31connected in the lead 29 upon closure of the switch contacts 32. Astarting switch 33 may be manually operated and bridges the automaticswitch contacts for operating the dynamo electric machine as a motordriven by the battery current.

The field coils 17 have one terminal grounded as by being connected at34 to the field member 2 in electrical connection with the engine framewhile the other terminals are connected to slip ring 18. x To operatethe starter the manual switch 5 33 is closed. Current will now flow fromthe positive side of the battery, through the conductor 35, switchcontacts 36, conductor 37. main lead 29, series field 25, armature 23and lead 28 to the negative side of the m battery. Current will alsoflow from conductor 29. through shunt field 2% to conductor 28. Theshunt and series fields will thus be energized accumulatively to operatethe dynamo electric machine as a motor with a high torque. This motor,acting against the comparatively small load furnished by the rotatablefield member 2, will rotate the same at a high speed and store upconsiderable energytherein. After a predetermined speed has beenobtained theswitch 38 is a closed which controls the ignition circuit ofthe engine and also the energizing of the field magnets throughconduct-or 39, brush 1; 20, slip ring 18, coils 17, connection 34 andthe engine frame to conductor 40, switch 38 and conductor 41 to mainlead :28. The energy stored in the rapidly rotating field member willnow act together with the torque exerted by-the motor 3 to rotate thefly wheel and crank the engine.

-ll'hen the engine operates under its own power it will rapidly rotatethe fly wheel and. the field winding being still energized, will rotatethe field structure :2 and drive the dynamo electric machine as agenerator. Upon suflicient voltage being attained the automatic switchwill close and current will flow from the generator, through seriesfield 25 in the reverse direction, conductor :29,

switch series coil 31, contacts 32, conductor 42, through the batteryand lamps in parallel and by the conductor :28 back to the generator.The series field winding 25 will now oppose the shunt winding 2% andregulate the generator output.

To insure closer regulation of the generator additional regulating meansmay be provided which automatically regulates the speed at which theengine may drive the dynamo electric machine as a generator;

This automatic regulation isobtained by means of a variable resistance43, here shown as of the compressible rheostat type, interposed in thecircuit 39 which supplies the coils 17. A series coil tlconnected in thegenerator lead 29 between the conductor 39 and the automatic switchcontrols this resistance by means of a bell crank lever 4:5.

A dashpot 16 may be attached to the core 47 of the coil H to steady theaction thereof.

Should the generator output tend to exceed a predetermined limit thecore 44 will become sufiiciently energized to operate the bell cranklever to decrease the pressure on 35 the rheostat l3 and therebyincrease theresistance in circuit with the field coils 17.

This increase in resistance, resulting in weakening of the coils 17,will permit the rotating field member 2- to slip with relation to theengine fly wheel. creases the speed of the generator and restores theoutput thereof to normal. A decrease in current through coil l-tcorrespondingly decreases the resistance of rheostat 4:3 and increasesthe generator speed. It is apparent that as long as the automatic switchis opened thecoil 44 is deenergized so that upon starting the resistanceof rheostat 43 is a minimum, thus insuring a maximum starting torque. 30

It is apparent that any other form of variable resistance may beemployed and that the operating coil thereof may be connected in variouswavs. Thus the regulator could be arranged to maintain constant voltage5 from the generator by connecting the coil 44 across the generatorleads or a mixed regulation could be obtained froma combined shunt andseries winding of the coil.

It will be seen that, on starting, the motor 3 will have thecharacteristics of a series motor and as the load is light, due onlyto.the inertia of the field structure, a rapid acceleration will result.During the rapid acceleration the current drawn from the battery willrapidly fall off. As soon as field 17 is excited. however, the load dueto the resistance offered by the engine, will greatly increasetherebydecreasing the speed of the motor, increasing the current drawn from thebattery and consequently increasing the torque exerted-by the motor,which, acting with the stored energy in the rotatable field structurewill be sufficient to crank the engine. 7

'hat 1 claim as new and desire to-secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. In combination, an internal combustion engine having an engine shaft,a member freely rotatable with respect to said shaft, means for rapidlyrotating said member. and means for simultaneously placing said engineincondition for operation and coupling said rotatable member to saidshaft.

- 2. A self starter for automobiles comprising a. 'fly wheel for theautomobile engine, a freely rotatable member adjacent thereto, means forrapidly rotating said member, and

independentlycontrolled means whereby said rapidly rotating member maybe coupled to the fly wheel. l

' 3. A self starter for automobiles comprising a fly wheel for theautomobile engine, a freely rotatable member, a dynamo electric machinemechanically connected thereto to rapidly rotate the same, andindependently controlled means whereby said rapidly rotating member maybe coupled to the fly Wheel.

4. A self starter for automobiles compris- This in turn de- 70 ing a-flywheel for the automobile engine, a freely rotatable member adjacentthereto, a dynamo electric machine mechanicallyconnected thereto forrapidly rotating the same, and independently controlled electrical meansfor coupling the rapidly rotating freely rotatable member provided withwindings, means for rapidly rotating the same, and means operable atwill whereby the windings on said rapidly rotating member may beenergized to couple said member to the member fast on the engine shaft.

7. In an automobile self starter, a freely rotatable member, means forrapidly rotating said member, denergized windings carried by saidmember, a magnetic member provided with short-circuited conductorssurrounding said rotatable member, and means for energizing the windingscarri by said rapidly rotating member wherebythe momentum thereof may beimpartedito said magnetic member. I

8. In an automobile self starter, iiiyc'o H ,1. bination with the engineshaft, a magnetic member fixedto the engine shaft and-provided withshortcircuited conductors, a member provided with denergized windingsfreely rotatable on said. shaft, means for rapidly rotating meanswhereby said windings'may be energized, thereby causing said rapidlyrotat-. ing member 1 to impart its momentum to saidmagnetic member.

9. In combination with the fly wheel of an engine, short-circuitedconductors carried thereby, a freely rotatable member provided withdeenergized windings adjacent thereto, means for rapidly rotating saidmember, and means for energizing said windings whereby the momentum ofsaid member may be imparted to said fly wheel.

l 10. In combination with the fly wheel of an engine, short-circuitedconductors ca-rried thereby, a freely rotatable member provided withdeenergized windings adjacent thereto, a dynamo electric machine forrapidly rotating said member, and means for energizing said windingswhereby the momentum of said member may be imparted to said fly wheel.

11. In an automobile self starter, a freely rotatable member, a memberadjacent thereto fixed to the engine'shaft, a dynamo electric machinefor rapidly accelerating said rotatable member, and means for couplingsaid rapidly rotating member to said said member, andmember fixed to theengine shaft, said dynamo electric machine having the characteristics ofa series motor whereby its torque will increase with increase in load asthe members are coupled together.

" 12. .111 an automatic self starter and lighter forautomobiles, amember fixed to ltheeiig ine.shagft,'ta member freely rotatable withrespect thereto, electrical means independently' operable for couplingsaid members together, and a dynamo electric machine adapted to drivesaid rotatable member or to be driven thereby.

13. In combination with an internal combustion engine, adynamo electricmachine, means for connecting said dynamo electric machine to the engineto start the engine, and automatic means operating only after the enginehas started for regulating the speed at whichthe dynamo electric machinemay be driven as a generator by the engine.

14. In combination with an internal combustion engine, a dynamo electricmachine, magnetic meansfor connecting the dynamo electric machine to theengine'tostart the engine, and automaticmeans automatically brought intooperation only for regulating the speed at which the dynamo electricmachine may be driven as a generator by the jengine.

15. In combination with an internal combustion engine, a dynamo electricmachine,

magnetic means for connecting the dynamo electric machine to the engineto start the engine, and automatic means controlling said magnetic meansoperating only after the engine has started for regulating the speed atwhich the dynamo electric machine may be driven as a generator by-theengine.

16. In combination, an internal combustion engine, a freely rotatablemember adjacent the shaft thereof,,means for rapidly rotating saidmember, and a common means for placing said engine in condition foroperating and coupling said member to the engine shaft.

17. In combination, an internal combustion engine, a freely rotatablemember adjacent the shaft thereof, means for rapidly rotating saidmember, electrical means for coupling said member to said shaft, and asingle means for controlling said electrical means and the ignitionmeans for said engine.

18. In combination, an internal combustion engine, a freely rotatablemember adjacent the shaft thereof, a dynamo-electric machine for rapidlyrotating said member,

electrical means operable at will for coupling said rotatable member tosaid shaft, and additional means brou ht into operation upon theattainment 0 predetermined electrical conditions in the system forcontrolling said electrical coupling means, whereby the speed at whichsaid engine may drive sa-id dynamo-electric machine through saidcoupling means is regulated.

19. In combination with an internal combustion engine, a member fixed tothe engine shaft, a member provided with windings freely rotatableadjacent said member member, a circuit including a variable resistancefor energizing the windings on said rotatable member, an additionalcircuit between said dynamo electric machine and said battery, saidcircuit includingan automatic switch, and a winding in series in saidadditional circuit controlling said Variable resistance.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof two wit- 25 nesses.

WVILLIAM A. TURBAYNE. Witnesses:

THOS. ZIMMERMAN,

E. MACVITTIE.

